Psychological resilience of the residents of the Kherson region in the context of a prolonged military conflict: a four-year retrospective analysis

Abstract

This article presents a comprehensive retrospective analysis of the dynamics of psychological resilience among the civilian population of the Kherson region during the period 2022–2026. The relevance of the study stems from the need for a scientific understanding of the unprecedented experience of residents in the frontline region, who have endured rapid occupation, active civil resistance and a prolonged period of daily artillery shelling following liberation. Psychological resilience in the context of armed conflict is viewed not as a static trait, but as a strategic resource for the survival of the individual and the community. The research methodology is based on the systemic ‘resilience’ model, which interprets resilience as a dynamic process of adaptation to extreme challenges.
Based on an analysis of recent research by Ukrainian scholars and the results of mental well-being monitoring, the authors have scientifically identified four stages of resilience transformation among the region’s residents. The first stage – mobilisation resistance (2022) – is characterised by reliance on national dignity and identity as key cognitive defences against the pressure of occupation. The second stage – traumatic survival (2023) – is marked by the accumulation of psychological trauma and the
depletion of adaptive reserves as a result of the constant threat to life. The third stage – adaptive stabilisation (2024–2025) – demonstrates recovery through the revitalisation of the educational process and professional activities, which serve as effective coping strategies in the context of a frontline city. The fourth stage – integrative resilience (2026) – focuses on post-traumatic growth and the implementation of European standards for psychosocial support within the educational environment. It has been demonstrated that the continuity of learning and the professional activity of teachers and students contribute to the stabilisation
of cognitive functions and the preservation of subjective control over one’s own life. The article identifies the key organisational and psychological conditions necessary for the successful European integration of Ukrainian higher education: the introduction of systematic psychodiagnostic monitoring, the creation of university ‘Resilience Spaces’, and specialised training of staff to deal with the consequences of a prolonged crisis situation. The findings have practical significance for the development of psychological support programmes for the population in areas facing prolonged geopolitical challenges.